The North American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea Willd Pers.) - Sacred Food of the Osage People

Authors

  • Daniel C. Swan University of Oklahoma

Keywords:

Osage Indians, North American lotus, Food and Cosmology

Abstract

The North American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea Willd.) is well documented as an important food plant among the Native people of North America. This paper presents ethnographic and historic evidence of its past veneration by the Osage Indians of Oklahoma as a sacred food and a symbol of their desire for health and long life, particularly for their children. Today N. lutea has become a prominent traditional food among the Osage and an important culinary element in contemporary Osage cultural identity. 

Author Biography

Daniel C. Swan, University of Oklahoma

Associate Progessor, Anthropology and Associate Curator, Ethnology

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Published

2010-11-23

How to Cite

Swan, D. C. (2010). The North American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea Willd Pers.) - Sacred Food of the Osage People. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 8, 249–253. Retrieved from https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/496

Issue

Vol. 8 (2010)

Section

Research

License

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